--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How is this any different than the big…" description: "\"How is this any different than the big boat argument of people when it came to African-Americans after the Civil War, decided, 'Put them on a boat and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/chris-matthews-1682_african-american_how-is-this-any-different-than-the-big-b_1357064.png" --- # How is this any different than the big boat argument of… ![“How is this any different than the big boat argument of people when it came to African-Americans after the Civil War, decided, 'Put them on a boat and send them back where they came from?' You know, he says it in polite language, but that's what Romney's been saying, 'Get home where you came from…” quote by Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/chris-matthews-1682_african-american_how-is-this-any-different-than-the-big-b_1357064.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/chris-matthews-1682_african-american_how-is-this-any-different-than-the-big-b_1357064.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/chris-matthews-1682_african-american_how-is-this-any-different-than-the-big-b_1357064.png) > “How is this any different than the big boat argument of people when it came to African-Americans after the Civil War, decided, 'Put them on a boat and send them back where they came from?' You know, he says it in polite language, but that's what Romney's been saying, 'Get home where you came from, start all over again.'” [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker equates modern immigration rhetoric with historic forced repatriation, highlighting a pattern of exclusionary policies framed as returning people to origins. **In simple terms:** Modern immigration talk mirrors past forced returns. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge exclusionary narratives. Themes immigration history politics Mood analytical concerned Type political social commentary When to use this quote - public policy debates - community organizing - media commentary - legislative hearings Key Concepts exclusion national identity policy rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - What are the differences between historical and current migration policies? - How can inclusive policies be communicated effectively? A Different Perspective Simplistic comparisons may ignore complex socioeconomic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Argument People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-people-841740/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Boat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boat/) [Boat Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boat-argument-4633374/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-romney-4633375/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Polite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polite/) [Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romney/) [Romney Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romney-saying-540263/) [Saying Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-home-1478269/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [First of all, with Mitt Romney, I was saying to the Mormons - the Mormons are very smart people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/first-of-all-with-mitt-romney-i-was-saying-to-the-mormons-the-mormons/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Mitt Romney saying that Barack Obama gets an F is one of the most ridiculous things that he has said in this race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-cutter/mitt-romney-saying-that-barack-obama-gets-an-f-is-one-of-the-most/) [Stephanie Cutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-cutter/) > [Mitt Romney is saying his comments about liking to fire people were taken out of context. 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But I think it's more like a piece of us stays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-hoffman/i-thought-about-that-old-saying-how-we-can-never-go-home-again-but-i/) [Beth Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-hoffman/) > [“We have a saying back home. It's time to duel!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuki-takahashi/we-have-a-saying-back-home-it-s-time-to-duel/) [Kazuki Takahashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuki-takahashi/) > [If she text you saying 'I'm home alone,' she wants the D.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-she-text-you-saying-i-m-home-alone-she-wants-the-d/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have never met a woman who works who doesn't feel guilty. I mean we all deny it like crazy but deep down there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-scott-thomas/i-have-never-met-a-woman-who-works-who-doesn-t-feel-guilty-i-mean-we/) [Kristin Scott Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-scott-thomas/) > [It depends on the situation. I mean, on one hand there's the argument that people should be left alone on the other hand, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/it-depends-on-the-situation-i-mean-on-one-hand-there-s-the-argument/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [“Let’s return to the main argument. People are hurting as hell. It matters. We should do something to make them happier, if we can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanzi-freinacht/let-s-return-to-the-main-argument-people-are-hurting-as-hell-it/) [Hanzi Freinacht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanzi-freinacht/) > [Be leery of silence. It doesn't mean you won the argument. Often, people are just busy reloading their guns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder-2/be-leery-of-silence-it-doesn-t-mean-you-won-the-argument-often-people/) [Shannon L Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder-2/) ## More by Chris Matthews > [You don't know whether he's thought through how this is going to affect the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/you-don-t-know-whether-he-s-thought-through-how-this-is-going-to/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [Natural-born American means you don't have to be naturalized. You were born to an American mother, like President Obama, no matter where you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/natural-born-american-means-you-don-t-have-to-be-naturalized-you-were/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [ I think that the candidates who are doing it \[not debating\] are doing a great disservice to the party. 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I think politics is transactional for him. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/i-don-t-sense-an-barack-obama-party-i-think-politics-is-transactional/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [What happens to conservatives when they get near the White House? How come they only seem to be talking the good talk at, say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/what-happens-to-conservatives-when-they-get-near-the-white-house-how/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [I'm closer to anybody who believes that we should lead not from behind, but from the front. Rand Paul is one step behind, leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/i-m-closer-to-anybody-who-believes-that-we-should-lead-not-from/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [Let's not forget, Sarah Palin may not have a golden touch, but she gave Christine O'Donnell candidate a big touch that got her over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/let-s-not-forget-sarah-palin-may-not-have-a-golden-touch-but-she-gave/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [Here's the Republican Party with round heels for anybody who says the right thing at the current moment. Regardless of their record, regardless of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/here-s-the-republican-party-with-round-heels-for-anybody-who-says-the/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [When lightning strikes you want to be there, right there in the room. You, not everybody's going to say yes to you. 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I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. 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